Powerized fastener



Feb. 27, 1962 J. .1. oussANl POWERIZED FASTENER Filed Aug. 3, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 221 N 2g F/G.

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Afra'm/fr United States Patent (Hice 3,022,512 Patented Feb. 27, 1962 3,022,512 POWERIZED FASTENER James I. Oussaui, 777 th Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. Fiied Aug. 3, 195i), Ser. No. 47,296 2 Claims. (Cl. 1--1t)6) This invention relates to a stapling device and is a continuation-impart of my copending patent application Serial No. 706,519, tiled December 31, 1957, now Patent No. 2,957,174, issued Oct. 25, 1960.- More particularly, this invention relates to an improved power impelled fastening device for driving fastening elements, such as staples, wherein a conventional' stapling` machine is secured within a housing provided with an electromagnetic impeller. Still more particularly, this invention relates to an electrically impelled stapling device wherein the driving of a staple is keyed by insertion into the stapling device of the article to be stapled.

Still more particularly, this invention relates to an improved automatic stapling device of the type described in my aforesaid copending application, as well as in my Patent No. 2,403,947 of July 16, 1946.

In the aforesaid patent, there is described an electric staple driving machine having a solenoid impeller which is activated bythe closing of a control switch. The control switch, in turn, is closed, as in the present device, by insertion of the work tobe stapled, the said switch in the patented device being opened responsive to the movement of means carried by the solenoid armature.

While the patented construction has enjoyed considerable commercial success, it presents certain drawbacks which have been eliminated in the hereindescribed improved device. Specially, the prior device operated at a noise level vfound to be objectionable in some applications. Moreover, the said prior device, when subjected to' extended periods of heavy use has from time to time required repair and readjustment, particularly as to the synchronization between the deactivation of the impeller and the completion of the stapling stroke. It will be understood that if the impeller is deactivated prior to clinching ofthe staple in this device, unsatisfactory closing of the staple legs and, accordingly, incomplete fastening will result. Similarly, if the-impeller is not deactivated immediately after clinching of the staple is eiected, the stapling device is locked by the impeller in the down or driving position against the work and may be removed only after the current supply to the impeller is manually disconnected. As a result, there exists a danger of burning out the impeller coils which are not adapted, in ordinary operation, to carry current continuously for more than very short periods of time.

Efforts to reduce the noise level in the prior construction by interposing a cushion or shock absorbing agent between the impeller and the stapling device have resulted in an vaggravation of repair and adjustment problems. The primary cause for such aggravation where cushioning material is used, is the tendency, in time, of such material to become permanently compressed and compacted, thus varying the synchronization between the descent or" the impeller and the deactivation of the same.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide.

an improved powerized stapling device of the type described. A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved powerized stapler device having a reduced noise level.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a powerized fastener device having a decreased operating noise level and improved synchronization characteristics whereby the impeller memberis deactivated accurately upon completion of the staple driving stroke, and thereby assures a fully clinched staple.

Still a further object of this invention is Vto provide an improved stapler device of the type described whereby repair and readjustment are reduced to a minimum.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a staple driving device wherein staples may be driven a predetermined distance from the edgeof the work to be stapled, by the provision of an adjustable impeller actuator control,'shiftable longitudinally with respect to the point of application of the staple.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a staple driving device having the adjustable feature above described wherein accurate synchronization of the deactivation of the impeller with completion of the staple clinching stroke is assured in all adjusted positions of said control.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein or be hereinafter pointed out, I make reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of my device with parts broken away to show details of construction;

FIGURE 2 is a magnied vertical section taken on the line 2--2 of FIGURE 1; f

FIGURE 3 is a section similar to FIGURE 2 showing the position of the parts upon completion of a staple drivingr operation;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational View of the electrical switching control for the impeller assembly, showing the contacts closed by insertion of work to be stapled to start the stapling cycle; and

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 showing the contacts open after driving of the staple.l

Referring now to the drawings, a housing 1 0 of cast or sheeted metal or the like is provided with a base 11, separated from the head portion 12 by Aan open throat 13. The base is preferably provided with suction cups 14 or the like to reduce the transmission of noises incident toY operation, as well as to protect the finish of the sup- A solenoid 15 is bolted to the housing 10 by bolts 16 passing through U-shaped bracket 17, to which bracket the solenoid 15 is attached, An armature 18 of magnetically responsive material is journalled to move axially within the solenoid 15, the said armature including at its lower end a roller or butler 19, rotatably secured by pin 2t) to the forked bracket member 21 depending from the lower end of the armature or plunger 18.

The plunger 18 is maintained in the raised or normal position shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 by a spiral spring 22, biased at its lower end 23 against the upper leg 24 of the bracket 17, the upper end 25 of said spring 22 bearing against a washer 26 secured to the upper end of said plunger 1S.

I'he housing 10 is provided with a longitudinally extending gauge slot 27, extending substantially parallel to the base 11 of the housing. An electrical control member 30 is slidably secured within the slot 27 by knurled nut 31, the position of said member 30 being adjustable by loosening the nut 31, shifting the control to the desired position with respect to the slot Z7, and subsequently tightening the nut 31.

A conventional hand stapling machine 40 is secured in longitudinally extending recess 41 formed in the base 11 of the housing by headless bolt members 42, 42', threadably engaged into laterally extending tapped bores 43, 43, and tightened to bear against the base or pedestal 44 of the machine 40. The stapler 40 includes anvil 45 carried by the pedestal 44 and a driver blade 46 which is activated in the usual manner to drive a staple Ywhen the driver arm 47 is depressed. A cushioning pad P of felt, resilient cushioning, rubber, or a combination thereof, is secured to the driver arm 47v by adhesive or a like expedient, the pad being positioned to be interposed in the path of roller 19 on the downward stroke of plunger 18.

The driver arm 47 carries a tripper arm 48 which is Y and co-acts with the switch or control assembly 30, now

Vto be described.

Except for details to be describedfthe control-assembly 30 is essentiallyV similarto the one described in detail in my Patent No. 2,403,947, issued Iuiy 16,.-1-946',A and will be re-described herein only to the vextent necessary Vto understand the present improvement. This assemblyisV designed to close Va pair Yof switch contacts responsiveto the insertion of articles to be stapled to energize the solenoid 15, and upon ycompletion of. a staple driving cycle, to de-energize theV said solenoid and assure that the same will not be reactivated until after the pape'r has been withdrawn from the machineY and a new article to be stapled inserted in position.

To perform these functions, there is pivotally mounted on. the control switch housing 52 a depending actuator arm 53, normally maintained in the forward position (dot and dashV lines, FIGURE 4) by springY 54` secured under tension between anchoring point 52a on the switch housing 52 and the said arm 53. A trigger V55V is pivotally secured to the arm 53 and lies in blocking position within the throat portion 13 of the housing.

normally .separated 'at their upper and lower ends (as shown 'in FIGURES) are supported from insulated bracket 58b depending fromrthe housing' 52. A latch "arm 58 of insulatingmaterial is pivotally secured to the actuator arm 5.3 and' extends forwardly therefrom through Ythe apertures '59,160 Yformed 1in the leaves 57,56, VrespectivelyA The; latch arm 58 includes a rearwardly directed shoulder 6'1, which shoulderis, inthe normal position of 'the stapler device, engaged over the front face portion 62 of leaf-'56.(seeFIGURES Y 2 and 4). A release finger 63 is secured in rearwardly extending position behind the i lever 578A and underlies'the ledge portion 64 of slide bar 65. Enough of aV clearance gap isi-allowed between, Ythe ledge 64 and linger 63to assure'full latch action in all the circuit cannot again be activated,Y since leaf'56 can movement ofthe slide bar 65 causes the ledge64 carried by the slide bar to 'strike the release nger 68 of the latching lever 58, pivoting the latter in a'clockwise direction, as shown in FIGURE 4, about the horizontal axis provided by pin 58', to the position shown in FIGURE 5. in pivoting from the position of FIGURE 4 to that of FIGURE 5, the shoulderrlris raised to clear the portion 62 of leaf 56 and the released leaf 56 lsprings back out of engagement with leaf 57 to the position shown. in FIGURE 5, breakingy the circuit to the solenoid.

It will be noted that so long'as the lever 53 is maintained infrearward position by contact with the work W,

bere-engaged by latching lever 58 only by permitting the lever 53 to return tothe forward position (dot and dash lines, FlG. .4) and such forward position can be attained only after the `work is withdrawn from contact with trigger 55. K

After a staple has been driven, thestapler device 40 and plunger 18 return to the original up position shown in FIGURE l, and the tripper arm 48 releases therslide bar 65, permitting the latter to move vertically under the influenceof spring 68. The release linger-63 is, upon upward return movement of, slide bar 65, released :from engagementfwith ledge portion 64, thus allowing the lever 58 to pivot counterclockwise about the pin 58 under the influence of gravity, andwhen theV lever 53 is' returned ""A'pair of metallic contact leaves 56, 57, whih'ar 1 yto itsfor'ward position, the shoulder V61 ofle'ver 58'again will engage the portion 62 of leafl 56 vin positionto reactivate the .solenoid upon insertion of work;

from the foregoing description of operation, it will beV readily recognized that Vsuccessful operationis depend- Y v ent upon accurately timingthe clinching of the staple Lwith'the de-activationof the solenoid 15. `Thus, if the solenoid is-de-activated prior toA clinching of the staple by premature depression of abutment finger 69 Vby tripper arm 48, the legs of the staple will not be fully closed,

. and tardy tripping of abutment finger 69 may result in jamming and solenoid burnout, as yearlier 'describedY As best seen in FIGURE l, the tripper arm 48 is angularly Y Y oriented with respect to the base 11 in'theV up posithe housing tol maintain the slide bar 65 in the up position, as shown inFIGURE 4. An abutment nger 69 extends laterally inwardV from thej slide bar 65 to a position beneath the tripper arm 48.

The contacts 70, 71, Yconnected with the leaves 56, 57, respectively, are wired in series with the solenoid 15V and a suitable source. of current,-sorthat -when the lleaves 56, 'V57 -are pressed together, the` solenoid is energized, and

when separated, the solenoid is de-activated.Y

When work to be stapled (W) is inserted into the throat 1310i the device, Vthe lever 53 is rocked rearwardly about pivot 53 against the biasing influenceof spring 54 by the engagement of said work with the trigger 55. The latching lever 58, which is carried by lever 53, is'likewise l shifted rearwardly yand in turn draws leaf 56 rearwardly into contact with leaf 57 through the medium of shoulder 61 which engagesthe portion 62 of the-said leaf 56. (The two positions of the lever 53 are shown in FIGURE 4 wherein the dot and dash lines show the lever in the normal or open position thereof.)

When the leaves 56 and 57 are in contact, the solenoid iseneIgiZed, causing the roller 19 of plunger 18 to drive against the pad l carried by the driver arm 47 of the stapler. AT/hetripper arm 48 moves with the driver arm to which it is attached, and when the driver arm approachesrthe clinching position with respect to the anvil 45, said tripper' arm 48 engages the abutment 69, causing the slide bar 65 tol shift downwardly; The downward tion of the solenoid, but assumes a parallel relation to said base in the clinching position of the stapler. This arrangement assures that power to the solenoid will be cutY orf at the same Ypoint regardless of the position of control member V3G with respect to the slot 27. n

The interposition of a'noise reducing buffer between the plunger and the, stapler of the structure Aof my previously mentioned Patent No. 2,403,947 was found to aggravate considerably the timing or synchronization problem aforesaid, since all materials which might effectively serve as buifers tended to become compacted after even moderate use. Such compaction seriously disrupts the timing of the de-activation of the impeller-member since, upon increasing compaction, the tripping ofthe abutment iinger occurs progressively earlier during the stapling cycle, ipe. prior to full clinching. Y

I have discovered that accurate timing is maintained in the above described structure notwithstanding the use of a compactible buffer, by mounting the tripper arm 48 on the driver arm 47 of the stapler rather than having the tripper move with the solenoid armature, as is the 'case with the structure of my said prior patent. Y There are, in addition, other unobvious advantages in the instant stapler device. Since the tripper is no longer Yconnected to the solenoid armature, the armatureY and It will be recognized that the slotted apertures 50, 50 in the tripper arm 48 enable the position of said arm to be adjusted relatively to the driver arm 47 by the expedient of loosening bolts 49, 49 and re-tightening the same when the arm 48 is adjustedl as desired. Such upward or downward movement of arm 48 alects the timing of de-activation of the solenoid and may be used, if necessary, to adjust the stapler device for special situations where unusually thick or thin work is to be fastened. Thus the arm 48 should be lowered with respect to driver arm 47 where unusually thick work is to be encountered, the opposite procedure being followed where thin work exclusively is to be used.

The use of a buffer or noise deadener greatly adds to the attractiveness of the stapling device, since in prior unpadded devices the stapling operation was accompanied by a loud report when the lower portion of the plunger struck the stapler member.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: Y

1. An electrically operated fastener comprising a housing, a stapling device secured in said housing and including an anvil, and a staple driver arm vertically movable relative thereto, electrically powered means secured to said housing and including an impeller member shiftable toward and away from said driver arm, a compressible cushion member interposed between said driver arm and said impeller in the path of movement of said impeller, switch means carried by said housing including a laterally extending abutment, said switch means having a single pair of contacts adapted to be closed by insertion of articles to be fastened and released to open position by depression of said abutment, and a longitudinally extending tripper arm alixed to said driver arm to lie in the path of movement of said abutment, said arm being shifted into depressing engagement against said abutment when said driver arm is impelled to a predetermined distance from said anvil.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said tripper arm is adjustably secured toA saiddriver arm to permit relative movement of said parts in a vertical plane.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS 2,403,947 Oussani July 16, 1946 

